PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE

What Does Planned Obsolescence Mean?

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The Quick Answer

Planned obsolescence means "Designing a Product So It Will Become Obsolete After an Artificially Short Period."

Background

image for Planned Obsolescence, with the word discontinued

Planned obsolescence is a business strategy where a product is deliberately designed to have a limited useful life or to become outdated or non-functional after a certain period. This approach encourages consumers to purchase new products or upgrades, thereby driving repeat business for manufacturers.

Examples

There are several key aspects and examples of planned obsolescence:

Technological Obsolescence: Products may become outdated as newer models with advanced features and capabilities are released. This is common in the electronics industry, where rapid technological advancements can make older devices feel inadequate.
Functional Obsolescence: A product might be designed to last for only a certain number of uses or a specific period before it fails or its performance significantly degrades. For example, a printer might be designed to lock after a certain number of prints.
Style Obsolescence: Fashion and design changes can render a product unfashionable or out of style, prompting consumers to replace it with something that is in vogue, even if the original product is still functional.
Compatibility Obsolescence: A product could become obsolete if new products or systems are designed in a way that they no longer work with older models. This is often seen in software, where new versions may not support older hardware or files.
Perceived Obsolescence: Manufacturers may market new products in a way that makes existing products seem less desirable or outdated, even if they still work perfectly well. This can create a demand for new items based solely on the desire to have the latest version.

Summary

Planned obsolescence has been a subject of criticism and debate, as it can lead to increased waste, environmental damage, and financial pressure on consumers to continuously replace products. Critics argue that it encourages a culture of disposability and unnecessary consumption, while proponents may claim it drives innovation and technological advancement. Efforts to combat planned obsolescence include legislation in some countries to protect consumers and encourage more sustainable product designs.

Image for Planned Obsolescence

When I write Planned Obsolescence, I mean this:

Planned obsolescence has been a topic of discussion and controversy for many years.

Summary of Key Points

"Designing a Product So It Will Become Obsolete After an Artificially Short Period" is, by far, the most common meaning for Planned Obsolescence when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

Planned Obsolescence
Definition:	Designing a Product So It Will Become Obsolete After an Artificially Short Period
Type:	Word
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at Planned Obsolescence

"Planned obsolescence" is a noun phrase. It consists of an adjective "planned" modifying the noun "obsolescence." Noun phrases are grammatical units containing a noun and its modifiers, which can include adjectives, determiners, and prepositional phrases, providing additional information about the noun, such as quantity, quality, or identity.